题目内容
Whistles and chirps are like the sounds that many birds make. Now scientists have translated some of
their squirrel-speak.
Hare, a professor of zoology at the University of Maniloha in Winnipeg, and his team managed to
record squirrels' alarm calls. The researchers studied the sounds and then played them back to 60 wild
squirrels, which the scientists approached individually with a video recorder to capture(抓拍)their
responses. Some squirrels lifted their heads up and became. alert(警惕的). Creatures that were more
frightened simply ran for their lives and dived into caves.
"In effect then, whistles that mix with chucks say 'there's an enemy of average threat that's here', and
whistles without chucks say 'there's an enemy of seemingly average threat around here somewhere', while pure chirps say, 'I'm hiding here because there's an immediate danger.'" Hare told Discovery News.
Hare and some other researchers believe such sounds are part of an advanced language that develops
just as all other communication systems.
Although squirrels risk their lives when they call out to warn others of threats, other squirrels might
admire this behaviour, thus increasingly the caller's social status, like humans who look up to heroes.
Hare added that other animals, such as birds, probably understand at least some squirrel language, since
they also may benefit from the alarm calls.
In fact, another Canadian study found that deep-voiced, black-capped chickadees have their own
language too. According to certain research, there are a lot of tidings in chickadees' calls, such as
directing fellows' activities, keeping in contact between mates, and raising alarms.
While chickadees and other birds are often welcomed into gardens by homeowners, squirrels are
frequently viewed as pests(害兽) . Hare wishes a greater understanding of the complex social lives and
communication systems of squirrels will provide hope that humans will gain a greater appreciation and
stop doing harm to these animals.
B. the comparison between squirrels and chickadees
C. the calling for the protection of squirrels
D. the ways for squirrels to escape from their enemies
B. pure chirps
C. whistles without chucks
D. repeated chucks
word"tidings"in Paragraph 6 probably means________.B. praises
C. messages
D. languages
B. Some squirrels understand the recorded alarm calls.
C. Other animals also well understand the language of squirrels.
D. Birds such as chickadees don't have their own language.
Some mammals migrate（迁徒）. One of these is the caribou（驯鹿）. They travel to the tundra（苔原）every summer to eat the rich grasses that grow there. When the weather becomes cooler, they migrate to the warmer forests and spend the winter there. Another mammal that migrates is the humpback whale. They spend the winter in Hawaii, and the summer in the Arctic（北极的）waters. They travel to the Arctic to eat millions of small shrimp（虾）.
Anther habit that some animals have to survive the cold winter is called hibernation. Animals that hibernate, rest or sleep during the winter. While they are hibernating, their bodies use up the fat layer that they have put on by eating large amounts of food during the summer. Some animals that hibernate in the Arctic are small animals called lemmings（旅鼠）, squirrels（松鼠）and bears.
There are two habit adaptations that animals in the Arctic have all year round. These are called herding and pack life. Caribou are example of animals that live in herds. A herd is a group of animals that lives together for most, or all of their lives. A herd of caribou can have a thousand or more animals in it. They live in herds for protection. It is easier for caribou to protect themselves when they are together than it is when they are alone. This is because the meat-eaters hunt in packs.
A pack is a small group of animals that lives together. It is usually controlled by a head male and a female. All the members of the pack must obey them. Packs have a very definite social structure. Each animal in a pack has a different position, or importance. Animals in a pack are usually meat-eaters. They live together for protection and hunting purposes.
【小题1】According to the first paragraph, the humpback whale .
| A．travels to the Arctic for shrimp in summer |
| B．spends the winter in the Arctic |
| C．lives in Hawaii in summer |
| D．has the same living habits as the caribou |
| A．The caribou. | B．The bear. | C．The squirrel. | D．The lemming. |
| A．use up their fat layer | B．find food | C．protect themselves | D．hunt in packs |
| A．Animals in pack are usually grain-eaters. |
| B．All animals are in an equal position in a pack. |
| C．It is either controlled by a head mate or by a female. |
| D．Each animal has its own different role in a pack. |